Northern Wind
by wendythemoustache
Summary: Raelyn Cassel peacefully grew up in Winterfell with Robb Stark and Theon Greyjoy at her side, and hoped summer could last forever. But the cold had to come. Forgiveness and words of love don't come easy when your lips are kept shut by the ice. Little did she know winter froze not only bones and skin, but hearts as well. (Theon/OC/Robb. It's weird. Rated T for GoT type of stuff.)
1. prologue

**author's note:** Hello ! I'm (finally) back with the re-write of the story. I've explained why I stopped the other one, so I won't do it again. Let's just say I needed a fresh start to be inspired again, I had to re-write my OC a little bit, and refine the plot, so yeah. Anyway. Many things will be similar, some dialogues will be similar, but not all of it, many things have changed. Yeah. Well, I guess you'll find by yourselves, ehehe. I hope you guys like it. To new readers, I want to tell you english isn't my first language, so there will surely be grammar/spelling mistakes, maybe even words that don't exist, so if you find any, PLEASE point it out to me. For the update frequency, I can't promise anything. I will try to keep it regular. Here's a small prologue, the first chapter will come tomorrow if I get enough feedback. I'm done talking. PLEASE review! It keeps me going and motivates me to update. Thank you xx

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PROLOGUE  
_You are the sea; you are it's beauty, and it's tendency to destroy._

* * *

She felt the water on her face like it was fire. It made her shiver so brutally her bones seemed to break a little more every time. Her lips, colored a light blue by the cold, were tightly shut, even though she felt the thousand words, the thousand prayers at the edge of her throat. Her dress was plastered to her body, it's black tissue contrasting brutally with the paleness of her skin. She knew her cheeks to be hollow, her wide eyes to be bloodshot, her scrawny fingers to be holding on to someone who wasn't there. _I'm a corpse. _Her mind was blurry, her energy had been sucked out of her, every single thing that made her the girl she once was had been broken down, one by one. She shut her eyes, desperately chasing away the memories. The blood, the ink, the rock, the skin, the furs, all the things that had been crushing her being since - _how long ? _- everything came back and she felt her whole body tense. Her eyes fluttered open and were immediately drawn by the furious, terrifying sea underneath her feet. One step. One step and she would slip on the wet rock and find her peace. _I don't want to die. _Because even if they were gone; the people she loved, her dignity, her ambition, her dreams, her defenses; even if they were all gone, Raelyn didn't want to become a broken body on the shores. She did not want someone to find her drenched, dirty corpse on the beach. She had to close her eyes again when the remains of a wave crashed upon her face. _How did it come to this ? _She remembered a time in a great castle, when it was still summer and there was still hope, when she was able to love and to be loved back, she remembered this time. It made her broken lips smile. _Yes, I remember._ The Girl with One Eye remembered, and knew that despite everything they could do, she always would. They could break her down again, they could smash every bone in her body, they could wipe out her entire soul, she wouldn't forget. She couldn't.


	2. chapter I

**author's note : **sorry it took so long for the first chapter. i had a very busy two days and yesterday night was got - wasn't it awfully good ? - so i couldn't update. but here is the first chapter. it's mainly introductions to the characters/relationships & similar with the other story, but i hope you like it anyway. it's just the start! thank you SO much for the story alerts/favorites and the reviews. i REALLY appreciate it. enjoy the read and please review x

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**CHAPTER I  
**_raelyn_

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The warmth of the sun felt odd on her skin. She had always lived in Winterfell, and it was always cold in Winterfell. The sun rarely showed itself long enough to warm up their bones, but sometimes, the gods were kind and gave them a day or two to rejoice and forget the usual chilly winds and bitter air. Of course, Raelyn Cassel never really had to truly suffer from the cold weather, as her father always made sure she had a roof over her head and fires to warm her bones. When she was only six, he had obtained a position as Lord Stark's Captain-of-the-Guards, which guaranteed him shelter and food for him and his family. Since her mother had died giving birth to her, she was alone with her father, but he always took good care of her. Jory Cassel was an honest, authentic, brave man, and so was his daughter. Raelyn had grown up within the castle's walls, not as a Stark, but as good as so. She played with Robb and Jon at the age of seven, simulating attacks of wildlings with wooden sticks as swords and tiny stones as arrows. Theon came along a year later, and he added boats made of wood to their arsenal. It was her father who taught her to read and write, but she was authorized to access Robb's and Jon's lessons with Maester Ludwin who told her all about the history of Westeros and its Houses. Raelyn Cassel was a part of the castle, she was a page in the book of Winterfell.

So when Raelyn had woken up to feel the warmth of the sun rays on her face, she had smiled. These kinds of days were always good, and with the winter coming at them at a fast pace, she could only enjoy it to the fullest. She had quickly gone out of bed, dressed in a light blue dress, styled her wavy brown hair in a braided bun and fled from her room to find the castle empty. Most of the time, the halls were filled with servants, but today she could hear her footsteps echoing in the deserted building. _Everybody must be enjoying the sun while it's here. _She was almost at the main door when she saw a familiar face. Theon saw her too, and he smiled the way only he could smile.

"Running outside like a child, Raelyn ?"

She rolled her eyes.

"And you're not ? Why, does the sun burn your skin ?"

He shot her a look, but when she walked past him, he turned on his heels and followed her.

"I'm surprised you're not already there with Robb and Jon," she said. "You lot usually take the opportunity to practice without shirts on to show your muscles to every girl that passes by," she said in a mocking tone.

"Why not join us ? I bet it would be more noticed."

"Shut up," she replied with a chuckle, slightly punching him on the shoulder.

Raelyn enjoyed Theon's presence, well, most of the time. He was infuriating, arrogant and sly, but he was fun to be around and always up for something new. She liked how he wasn't all courtesies with her since none of them were superior to the other. He was a ward, she was just a girl who happened to live in Winterfell. Sometimes it just wasn't the same with Robb or Jon, who had responsibilities as Starks. With Theon, things were simple, but how he annoyed her sometimes with his quick temper and his obsession with lovemaking. It had grown worse since she had developed curves. But she had learned not to get mad everytime he took a glimpse at her chest, because apparently, she had realized, a lot of boys did it, was it the butcher's son or even Robb.

They made their way outside and she had to close her eyes as the brightness of the sun hit her. It felt good, though, and she quickly got used to it while following Theon to the practice yard. As she expected it, Robb and Jon were there, half-naked, dueling. She almost smiled at the sight. _How good it feels. _They groaned as their swords collided, not loud enough, however, to cover the noise of the crowd. She looked around, and realized that probably every single person that lived in Winterfell was outside. Most of them were busying themselves with various tasks, but some of them just stood in the sun and chatted. She located her father talking with soldiers. She turned when she heard Ser Rodrick's familiar voice.

"Enough," he said, "there is no end to this. Take a goddamn break."

Raelyn smiled at her distant uncle's obvious annoyance. But he was right; Robb was as good as Jon and only luck came to decide the winner when the dueled. However, it could take a while. She still remembered a time when it took 26 minutes before Robb smashed Jon to the ground whose arm had grown tired. The two boys chuckled and shared a handshake, their naked skin covered with sweat, glistening in the bright sun. Raelyn, who already felt the hotness on her skin, was glad she had put her heavy hair into a bun and decided to wear a light dress, otherwise she probably would've melted.

"You should've let me join, I would've settled this," said Theon.

Robb and Jon turned and the oldest Stark broke into a smile. "I would've loved to see that."

They walked towards Theon and Raelyn and she felt Robb's gaze burn on her face more violently than the sun and had to shake her head from blushing.

"Hey, you," he said, smiling at her.

"Hello," she only replied, unable to look away from his pale blue eyes and... naked chest.

"You should wear that dress every day. It suits you." She smirked at him.

"I wish I could, but I'd probably freeze the second I'd step outside." Robb chuckled.

"Doesn't make it less true. Right, Jon ?"

The black-haired boy's head snapped up from the wooden stick he held. He nodded slowly. "Aye. You look great, Rae." She finally blushed.

"Well thank you. At least you're gentlemen."

At her last word she glared at Theon who was busy taking his shirt off. He took a wooden stick from the basket and raised an eyebrow.

"I thought my careful observation of your cleavage was clear enough. Want me to do it again ?" She rolled her eyes.

"I don't even want to answer that."

"You don't have to," replied Theon in a sultry voice.

"Shut your mouth, Greyjoy," snapped Robb.

Theon raised both his hands in surrender. Raelyn shook her head but couldn't hold back the smile. _Theon.__  
_

"He just won't change," she said quietly, only for Robb to hear.

She tried to ignore his intense stare by looking at Jon and Theon challenging each other, but at some point she had to look back at him.

"What are you staring at ?" she asked mockingly.

"I was thinking that the godswood must be quite a sight in that sunlight." She raised her eyebrows.

"You think about quite weird things, Lord Stark." He chuckled as he traveled his hand through his auburn curly hair.

"I mean, do you want to go and take a look ?" She laughed.

"Oh ! Aye, I'd love that." Robb smiled.

Behind him, Jon and Theon started dueling, but clearly, none of them had the upper hand. Raelyn glanced at Ser Rodrik while Robb put away his wooden sword and grinned at the look on his face. She joined Robb who was washing off the sweat off his skin with a small towel.

"You ready ?" he asked.

"I hope you'll put on a shirt," she replied with a glare. Robb looked at her, shocked.

"What, you don't like my chest ? Isn't my chest beautiful ?" She shot him a look.

He faked sobs but put on a light shirt on his shoulders anyway. Then he took her by the shoulders and they walked towards the godswood, chatting about the silliest things.

Raelyn and Robb had always been close. As kids, they played a lot together, but as they grew older their relationship had developed into something tight. They knew all about each other, their hopes and their fears, their qualities and their flaws. They could run around the castle laughing all day as well as lay down at night and look at the stars until they fell asleep. They acted as the best of friends, everybody saw them as so. They were as close and as important to each other as brother and sister, but there was something more, Raelyn always knew it. When she looked at Robb, she saw the fun, sweet, adventurous boy that she grew up with, but she also saw the handsome, bold, just, kind man he became. Sometimes she could stare at him for minutes and minutes, losing herself in his bright blue eyes, and dream about his lips on hers and his body against hers. And she knew, well she hoped that it was the same for him. She could feel his eyes on her, she felt how his fingers sought her touch, but then she had to remember that he would be Lord of Winterfell and she would never be anything, really. He would marry a princess somewhere, a Lady worth his position, not a simple soldier's daughter. But she tried to chase these thoughts away when she was with him, and simply enjoy his company. He made her smile, he made her laugh. Being with him was so easy, like coming home to a good meal, a warm fire and a family.

When they finally got to the godswood, Raelyn smiled at Robb.

"You were right."

It was indeed a beautiful sight. The sun rays came through the red leaves of the tall trees, shining on the pond that for once, didn't look completely black. They sat down under the white trees, safe underneath the gods. Raelyn whispered a quick prayer as she stared at the faces engraved in the wood. She was not particularly faithful, but the gods had always been good to her and she felt that it was a small payback to pray to them once in a while. Robb and her exchanged a few words about the town folk before they fell into silence. Raelyn left her gaze travel to the pond, in which she could scarcely see her reflection.

"I'm sorry Theon is such a shit to you," said Robb, breaking the silence after a few minutes. She frowned. _What is this about ?_

"It's not like I'm not used to it," she replied, giving him a smile. But Robb actually looked serious and he frowned at her words.

"That's actually what gets on my nerves. He's so disrespectful." Raelyn sat straight and looked at him in the eyes.

"Robb, it's nothing to worry about. Theon has always been like this. I don't mind anymore."

But Raelyn knew that Robb was stubborn. When his mind was set on something, nobody and nothing could stop him.

"You should. All these things he says about... about your..." His eyes traveled to her chest and he pointed her. Raelyn shot him an annoyed look.

"My breasts ?" Robb nodded, his face flushed. "Are you seriously mad about this ?" she asked with disbelief. "Robb, you don't have to play games with me. You're a man. I know what you lot talk about when women aren't close." He stared at her, startled.

"Oh, you think I'm like Theon ?"

"No!" she snapped back immediately. _Why is he so cranky ? _"All I'm saying is that you've been friends with him for so many years, you must have heard everything ? I mean he must talk a lot about the girl he sees all the time."

"Ros ?"

"Yeah, that's her name..." She stared at Robb whose eyes had traveled to the ground, his cheeks now burning red.

"By all the gods..." she whispered as the realization hit her. Robb's eyes snapped back at her.

"What ?"

"You've been with her !" she yelled, shocked.

Confusion filled her thoughts. Robb was a very handsome boy, a man grown, she couldn't expect him to hold back his desires. It had no consequences for him whatsoever. But he was... _He's Robb._ And suddenly, he felt like a stranger. Of course he wouldn't share this kind of things with her. She was a girl, after all. However, her imagination didn't get to travel far because Robb opened his mouth like a dead fish and stared at her, horrified.

"Gods, Rae !" he blurted out. "No !" She rolled her eyes. Even though she hoped he was telling the truth, she was having a hard time believing him.

"Don't lie to me, Robb Stark. Of course Theon brought you to a brothel ! What else could happen ?" But Robb looked as if he wanted to bury himself into the ground.

"Raelyn, I swear, I did not do anything with that girl." She lowered her gaze to the ground. Through the pond, she could see that Robb was looking at her.

"You don't have to lie. Not to me."

"Please, just listen to me. Just listen." She nodded. He seemed serious about it. In a way, it reassured her.

"Theon did bring me and Jon to..."

"Jon too !" she couldn't help but shriek, looking back at him with wide eyes.

"Let me finish !"

"Sorry." A smile spread on his lips.

"Theon brought me and Jon to a brothel a few weeks ago to present us to Ros. She took off her clothes, but I... I took off. Jon too." He put his hand on hers. "I swear. I couldn't do it. It felt wrong."

His eyes were glued to her. She felt his hand like fire on her skin. She wanted to ask why. _What stopped him ?_ The question burned her lips, but she couldn't bring herself to asking. She breathed out.

"Why didn't you tell me ?" she said softly.

"I'm a man. I have some pride." She chuckled. "You believe me, right ?" She raised an eyebrow.

"I do. I'm just wondering why Theon didn't say a word about it." It was Robb's turn to chuckle. A dark look spread on his face.

"We made him swear not to." They laughed, the sound echoing through the trees.

"Well the gods must be awfully weary of us, speaking of whores in their woods," she said, standing up, her legs sore.

"They certainly heard worse. We should get back to the castle. People are going to start talking." He winked at her and she pulled a face.

They walked back to the courtyard laughing. It was more windy when they reached the practice yard. Jon was still there, but Theon was nowhere to be seen.

"Probably went to see your girlfriend," said Raelyn in a playful tone.

Robb shot her a look and she chuckled. Raelyn spent the rest of the day with her cousin Beth and when she went to sleep that night, she dreamed of a red haired woman strangling her in her bed.


	3. chapter II

Hello!  
Thank you guys for the reviews & alerts. It's much appreciated.  
Here's the new chapter. It has a bit of action ! It's two main scenes, so it may feel slow. idk  
I hope you like it anyway !  
Have a great episode tonight !

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**CHAPTER II  
**_Raelyn_

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She was woken up by strong hands shaking her.

"Raelyn," the voice said, "wake up."

Her eyes fluttered open to her father's face. A groan escaped her lips and she glanced at the window to see the sun wasn't up yet. Her father smiled at her as she pulled on the furs to cover her cold arms.

"What is it, father ?"

Her voice was raspy with sleep and she struggled to keep her eyes open. She hated to wake up in the morning, especially by someone else.

"You wanted to come to my patrol this morning. Told me to wake you up." She blinked and stared at her father.

"Oh ! I had forgotten."

He raised his eyebrows, his hand on the hilt of his sword._ For how long has he been awake ? _

"You still want to come ?" She slowly nodded.

"Give me five minutes."

He acknowledged and left the dark room silently. Raelyn stood on her elbow and sighed. She was far from a morning person. She loved waking up naturally, when her body felt like it. But she loved going on patrols with her father. _It's too goddamn early, though._

After a minute or two, when her head stopped spinning, she got out of bed, clenching her teeth as her feet hit the horribly cold floor, and opened her curtains. The sky was a beautiful pale blue, a sign that the sun would be shining soon. She stretched and got dressed in a thick dress, riding boots and warm cloak whose furs tickled her neck. She decided to keep her hair down, only braiding one lock of hair like she usually did. Her father was waiting for her when she closed her door.

"Come on," he softly said.

They walked in silence to the stables. Jory Cassel was not a loquacious man compared to his daughter. It was a trait she had inherited from her mother, he always said. But he was a good man, and Raelyn loved her father very much. He wasn't very expressive, and sometimes struggled when he wanted to ask her something, but he was brave and loyal, and that was all that was important to Raelyn. He took good care of her and the Starks. She knew he had lived through horror, battling in wars and enduring the death of loved ones, but she never spoke about it and preferred to enjoy his company when he could spend some time with her. He was very busy, but always found an hour or two to go riding with his daughter, and those were moments that she adored.

Father and daughter got on their horses and started to ride around the castle, their eyes seeking for any sort of trouble. But it was a very quiet morning, and when the sun started to rise in the sky, they stopped to admire it.

"It will be another beautiful day" said Jory, patting his horse. Raelyn nodded as she already felt its warmth.

"Another good day for staying outside. I wish my legs wouldn't hurt so bad after hours of riding, because I would be gone all day."

He chuckled. Her father didn't laugh often so it was always good to hear him.

"I saw you take a walk with Robb yesterday." She frowned.

"Is that a question ?" Jory seemed confused and she sighed. "We did. To the godswood."

"What did you do ?" She shot him a look. Jory always seemed to be curious about the silliest things.

"We just talked." He nodded, his eyes traveling to the sunrise.

Raelyn felt weird. It was as if he knew something he didn't want to tell her about. She always took walks with Robb, why was it suddenly of relevance ?

"There's something I wanted to ask you." She glanced back at her father.

"What ?"

"I heard the weirdest thing, and I... I want to clear it off." He seemed truly concerned, and Raelyn's heart started beating quickly in her chest.

"I heard... Well, a guard saw you going to town."

"And ?" she urged.

"He asked me why my daughter was going to a brothel." Her eyes widened and she didn't reply right away, her breath taken away.

"It's probably a mistake, though, because there is -"

"No, it's true," she said softly. A dark look spread on her father's face.

"What in all the hells were you doing there ?"

"Did you ask somebody to keep an eye on me ?" Jory shot her a shocked look.

"Of course I did ! You've always been restless, Raelyn, and the streets are dangerous. I just want to make sure nothing happens to you. But you're avoiding the question. What were you doing there ? It's no place for you !"

His voice was filled with worry and anger. _Is he mad because he thinks... No._ The thought made her sick so she snapped her head high and faced him.

"I just wanted to talk with somebody. It was nothing, I didn't do anything." He frowned.

"I don't understand. Explain the facts to me, Raelyn, and don't lie."

His words were irrevocable. She sighed slightly, embarrassed. She had hoped her father wouldn't find out.

"There's this girl Theon sees all the time..."

"Theon Greyjoy ?"

"I was just curious to see who she was, what she looked like ! I only meant to spy outside the building, but she saw me and brought me inside. We just talked !" Jory closed his eyes and rubbed his temples.

Raelyn couldn't bring herself to look at him. She had been curious, way too curious. After her conversation with Robb, she had been obsessed with that red haired girl. She had been dreaming about her, and she thought that maybe if she talked to her it would demystify it all and she wouldn't be haunted anymore. But in the brothel, she had been troubled. Everywhere she looked she saw naked bodies and skin and heard and saw dozens of things she never would've imagined. Fortunately Ros brought her to a quiet place where they spoke for a few minutes. Raelyn asked her about Theon, and why he visited her, and everything on her mind. Ros had been very kind with her, she was even pleased by her visit. But Raelyn was uneasy and she quickly left the place.

"I'm asking you not to go there again. At least, not alone. These places are filled with filthy man."

She couldn't deny it. She had seen some men, their dark eyes bright with lust, glaring at her like she was a piece of meat. Fortunately she did not came across somebody she knew.

"I don't want you to go off on your own like that. Do you understand ?" She nodded, her cheeks flushed.

"Yes, father. I swear I won't." She raised her eyes to meet his and he smiled. His hand traveled on her cheek and he kissed her on the forehead.

"I'm sorry." He nodded.

"I know."

The sun was high in the sky when they reached the stables again. She left her father with a smile and was suddenly very hungry. She hadn't eaten at all, she realized. She was so eager to join her father that she had forgotten to fill her stomach. The breakfast had certainly already been served, so Raelyn went straight to the kitchens, where the main cook, Palia, gave her a piece of bread with jelly. She gladly conversed with the people who worked in the kitchens. They were always kind to fulfill her food craves, so she felt like it was a small payback to do the small talk. They were very nice. After exchanging a umpteenth joke with the butcher, she stepped outside and walked to the practice yard, where she would certainly find Robb, since they were all clear of chores or lessons that day.

The sun was bright and even if it was a bit colder than days before, she felt comfortable without her cloak that she had removed in the kitchens. She heard the sound of wood clashing before she saw Robb, Theon and Jon dueling. They rarely did a three on three fight, but it was very entertaining to watch. Raelyn looked for Bran and Rickon, and even maybe Arya, but they were nowhere to be seen. Odd, she thought, they were usually around. They were probably off riding, since they loved it so much.

She looked back on the boys, who were not chest-naked but instead wore light tunics. Jon suddenly disarmed Theon, but Robb already had his stick on his chest. They chuckled and drew back, catching their breath.

"It seems like we have a winner," she said in an amused tone.

Theon immediately shot her a look, his face glistening with sweat. Jon, who was close to her, lightly punched her shoulder.

"There's always a winner," replied Robb, grinning from ear to ear. "It just usually happens to be me." His laugh was cut by Theon who wiped the sweat off his forehead.

"Shut it, Stark. You never know who's going to stab you in the back."

Robb rolled his eyes and didn't bother to answer. Jon shook his head and Raelyn glared at the young Greyjoy.

"You look a bit hot. Oh, and are out of breath ?" she said, faking a shocked tone. Robb and Jon exchanged amused looks but Theon snickered at her.

"Did you know, sweet Raelyn, that somewhere across the Narrow Sea, the word 'hot' is used to describe a sexually attractive youg man ?"

She glanced at Robb just his time to see a dark look pass on his face. He looked horribly handsome with his messy hair and unshaved jaw. She had to force herself to look back at Theon who smirked at her with sulky eyes.

"Well here's yet another proof that we are not across the Narrow Sea," she declared with a smile.

"I think we have another winner," chuckled Jon. She playfully winked at him and had to hold back a laugh when Theon sighed deeply.

"Care to join us ?" suddenly asked Robb.

She looked at him with wide eyes. His smile was daring her and she had to shake her head at his silliness. It was in his habits to challenge her every once in a while. Last time, it was to ride her horse without the saddle. It ended with a broken wrist, but at least it had been fun. But Raelyn knew very well that her talents at sword fighting were, well, non-existent. Her arms were not strong enough to hold to heaviness of the steel, she grew tired quickly and always ended up on the ground.

"Thank you very much, but I'll pass," she answered, holding his stare.

"Oh, is little Raelyn afraid ?" mocked Theon, who betrayed himself by a huge grin. He was way obviously very excited at the idea. She rolled her eyes.

"You can fight me," proposed Jon.

_How bad could it be ?_ She knew Jon would not purposely hurt her, and would probably even let her win. Theon's words echoed in her head and she felt the anger rise in her throat. She was ready to do it just to prove him wrong. She took to wooden sword Jon handed to her with shaking hands, ignoring Theon's excited laughs. She glanced at Robb and felt her heart twist in her chest when she saw that he was looking at her very intensely, a smile on his lips. He took a few steps back and joined Theon at the barrier of the yard. Raelyn quickly looked around to make sure her father was not close and finally faced an amused Jon.

He was the first to move when she smiled back to him. She lifted the stick fast enough to block his attack and she immediately jerked her arm forward to get his shoulder. But Jon was way too quick and experienced for her and shielded himself with the stick. She pecked her lips, avoided his attack by ducking and kicked him in the knees. He took a few steps back, chuckled and threw his sword at her. She blocked and he attacked for what seemed like forever before she lost any sense of coordination and fell on the ground. Jon's stick poked her neck and, settling down hers, she raised her hands.

"I yield ?" The boys broke into laughter. She realized that a few people, including soldiers she recognized from Lord Stark's Guard, had been watching the fight and were all smiling at her. Some were mocking, but most of them just seemed amused.

She blushed furiously as Jon helped her to her feet.

"It was a good fight, for someone who can't fight," he teased her.

She shot him a dark look. Robb was laughing when he reached her and she pushed him, giving him the big eyes.

"Don't mock me !"

"Very well, it's my turn now," declared Theon, staring at her, a proud look on his face.

She looked back at him. She wasn't sure it was the best idea. She knew very well Theon was not Jon, he wouldn't be gentle with her. _He's really going to fight me.__  
_

"Don't worry, I won't be too harsh on you," he said, as if he had heard her thoughts. She bit her lip and felt Robb bending towards her.

"You don't have to," he whispered in her ear, making her hair dance with his breath. She shivered but it gave her enough strength to take back her wooden sword and face Theon.

"Raise your sword, Greyjoy." She didn't break eye contact with him as he didn't lose his smirk.

She felt like something had gotten into her. She felt ready to beat Theon and entire armies and even dragons. She felt fierce, she felt invincible. But her bravery did not last long when Theon first attacked, obviously with her neck as his mark. She drew away from him. When he raised his sword again, she did the same and sticks smashed together. He quickly responded with a side attack and she felt the stick poke her side, not too hard though. He chuckled and she felt the anger rise in her chest. She went for his arm but he somehow took her by the shoulders to make her spin. He grasped her arm and held it behind her back, pushing slightly so she shrieked in pain. Her body hit his and his sword was suddenly at her neck. If it had been steel, she would be dead. Her pulse went crazy and pounded her head.

"Game over," he whispered in her ear. _Oh, certainly not. _She decided that she wouldn't let Theon win like this and kicked him hard with her elbow in the abdomen. He jerked back and she was free of him. She smiled with triumph but he wasn't anymore. His eyes were dark and his mouth was tight with anger. He ran at her and attacked her one, two, three, four times, and soon her stick flew from her hand and his leg was on her chest and knocked her down. She lost her breath for a second, a groan escaping her lips.

All she could feel was the pain in her back and all she could hear was Theon's chuckles. The world was spinning a little bit. She nodded when a distant voice asked her if she was okay. It had not really hurt, only taken her by surprise. Her dizziness disappeared quickly.

"I'm all right," she said in what she wanted to be an assured voice.

Robb was kneeling next to her. She saw Jon running to her and the people around staring at her. She felt her cheeks burn with embarrassment. She had lost, once again. Theon had not been fair to her, but she still felt ashamed. She took hold of Robb's shoulders to get on her feet and shook her head.

"I'm all right," she repeated, but the oldest Stark's eyes were burning. As soon as she got steady, he shrugged her off and ran to Theon, grasping his shirt tightly and bringing his face close to his.

"You little shit," he spat at him.

"Robb, stop," she quickly said. She did not want Robb and Theon to fight. She knew that they both had quick tempers, and the first had told her about the resentment he had about the other's attitude towards her. This would not rectify the situation.

"Calm down, lover boy. I was just teasing her !"

"Teasing her by attacking her like a mad men and kicking her down ? She's a girl, and she was just having fun !" yelled Robb, before his tone went raw and low. "Don't you have any honor, Greyjoy ?" Raelyn's cheeks burned like wildfire.

"Enough !" she screamed. "What's gotten into you ?"

She felt mad, incredibly mad, at Theon because he had been a complete asshole with her but also at Robb for losing all self-control. She felt sick and tired but at the same time, something deep inside her was twisting at the thought of Robb jumping in to defend her. But she couldn't say that. _Not now._ So she stood quiet after this, staring furiously at both of the boys, completely ignoring the people surrounding them. She thanked the gods there was not a lot of people outside that day. Robb shot her an angry look but let Theon go.

She nearly sighed of relief before his fist violently punched Theon's nose. She heard the heart-wrenching sound of a bone cracking and gasped. The young man yelled in pain, his hands flying to his bloody nose.

"Have you lost your mind, Stark ?" he screamed at him, groaning in pain.

"If you hurt her again, I'll break something else, Greyjoy." Robb, who was staring blankly at him, spoke with a low, deep voice. His words were irrefutable. He silently took a step back and left the yard, his hands tightly clenched into fists.

Raelyn looked at him go, unable to react. Robb's actions exceeded her intendment. _What had gotten into him ?_ She knew that Theon deserved it in some way, but Robb had overreacted. She couldn't bring herself to say something, now feeling very deeply the stares of the crowd around her.

"I'll take care of him," whispered Jon before following his brother. She was glad he did. She couldn't face Robb, not now, not after this. Confusion filled her mind like opaque clouds.

It was when she heard Theon groan in pain that she snapped back to reality. She approached him. He was kneeling down, his hands red with blood. She clenched her jaw and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Come on, I'll take you to Master Ludwin." His reaction was immediate. He brutally shrugged her hand away and stood up, shooting her a furious glare.

"I don't need your help." She pecked her lips and looked at him walking away. Ignoring the small crowd around them, she ran to join him.

"Theon, I'm sorry, I don't know why he acted like this." He stopped and turned to face her. His nose was horribly twisted, she couldn't imagine the pain. Drops of blood stained his shirt.

"Oh, really, you don't know ? How stupid are you ?" She stared at him, frowning.

"I'm trying to apologize to you, why are you being so -"

"What did you do to him, Cassel ? What did you do so he's at your feet like a dog ?" She didn't answer. Theon seemed furious. Blood ran down his face as he spoke, his mouth twisted with anger. He took a step towards her so his face was close to hers. She breathed in.

"I bet you were real good." She didn't want to slap him but her hand hit his face in a snap.

"Shut up. You don't know what you're talking about," she said in a harsh tone, her voice trembling. He chuckled.

"I don't think you know, either," he replied darkly before turning on his heels and walking away.


	4. chapter III

Hello !  
Sorry I'm a bit late in schedule to publish this chapter; it's the end of term and I'm quiiiiite busy so yeah.  
I hope you all enjoyed the last episode! *cave scene woooooo*  
Here is a smaller chapter, with only two scenes. It's short, but if I get reviews from you guys, I'll publish the next one quickly.  
Thank you for your alerts and favorites - but PLEASE, give me feedback ! I'm blind without your comments.  
Enjoy ! x

* * *

**CHAPTER III  
**_Raelyn_

* * *

The sky was red like blood when Raelyn took her leave from the table. She needed some air ; the supper had been very long and quiet. She did not exchanged a word with Theon the whole time, even if he sat beside her. Since he kept his mouth shut and she did not want anything to do with him, anger still boiling in her veins, they barely glanced at each other and winced when their shoulders accidentally touched. Raelyn kept her mind busy talking with her cousin Beth, who fortunately always had stories to tell. As for Robb, he had kept his eyes on his plate and promptly left when he was done eating. Raelyn felt weird, angry but weird, and it seemed even more odd to her that nobody noticed the tension between her, Robb and Theon ; the rest of the Stark family were their usual selves.

Arya kept talking about some ancient female warrior while Sansa sighed and Bran listened closely to her while trying not to look like he was, and Rickon interrupted her at every sentence to ask a silly question. Lord and Lady Stark mostly kept quiet, sometimes whispering to each other. Ned would maybe engage a conversation with her father, but most of the times both would eat silently. Raelyn knew that eating at the Starks table was a privilege, so that was the reason she always made sure to not make a scene. She wanted to yell at Robb from across the table, scream at him to say something, but she knew it was neither the time or place. When the servants came to clean up after them, Raelyn made her way outside and glanced at the haunting sky.

It wasn't too cold, but a light wind made her shiver and she wrapped her cloak closer to her body. She walked through the courtyard and to the outskirts of the castle before settling on a small rock, from which she could observe the fantastic view. The North was not colorful, or exotic, but it had a certain magnificence. She sighed deeply, trying to chase away the thought of Robb and Theon. She felt very uneasy in these kind of situations. She and Theon often fought, but never was Robb involved in such a way. She felt confused, hauling between both of them. _Do I have to choose a side ? _She certainly hoped not. She appreciated both their presence for different reasons. She did not want to lose either of them. Something titled her and unanswered questions clouded her mind. Why did Robb lost his control so quickly ? Was it anger, or disappointment, or confusion that she had seen in his eyes ? She realized she was far from angry at Robb, only confused at his behavior. She was mad at Theon, though, for saying what he had said and for hitting her. But somehow, even after everything he did to her, Raelyn couldn't bring herself to hate him.

Another sigh escaped her lips when someone sat next to her. She immediately recognized Jon, with his dark, curly hair falling on his forehead. He shot her a look that competed with the dark shade of his clothes.

"What ?" she asked after a moment. Jon wasn't the loquacious type. Most of the time, he waited for people to start the conversations.

"Why are you hiding ?"

She raised her eyebrows at him.

"I'm not hiding. I'm just thinking."

"Maybe you think too much, Rae." His tone made her frown.

"What do you mean ?"

"It's just... if one of you would decide to act instead of ignoring each other and sulking like children, this would already be settled."

She knew that he was right, but never would she would let him win that easily.

"Why should I be the one acting ? I'm not the one who should apologize." A soft smile spread on Jon's lips.

"You know very well that Robb and Theon will never be able to step on their pride and do the first step. Theon would probably give Ros away before admitting he was wrong."

She couldn't help but chuckle, the memory of her visit to the brothel coloring her cheeks.

"And Robb ?" she said weakly. Jon rolled his eyes.

"He didn't say much, but I'm quite sure he's scared you're mad at him."

"But I'm not !" she snapped back.

Raelyn thought about Jon's words. Robb was bold when it came to fighting with steel, but as of words quarrels, he could be compared to a child. She suddenly felt the urge to talk to him, maybe put an end to this silliness. _It's been barely a day since I last spoke to him and it feels like forever. _

"I'm going to talk to him." She smoothed her dark dress and was about to stand up when Jon took her arm to keep her in place.

"I'm not sure you should." She frowned.

"Why ? He doesn't want to see me ?" Jon shifted and gave her an uneasy look.

"That's not the issue. He's... he's embarrassed, Rae. Give him time to build up his pride again. You know him. He'll come around soon. You two can't stay away from each other for long." She hit him on the arm and he chuckled.

"I'm glad you're around, Jon." The young man smiled at her.

Raelyn had always shared a loyal and sincere friendship with Jon. Without being very close, they were there to support each other and give away advice. She enjoyed spending time with him because he was humble, kind, authentic and most of all far from complicated. She could sense that despite the fact that he was almost the same age as her, Jon was the wisest. He was quiet and reflective, the exact opposition of Theon who never thought twice. Raelyn could only imagine living as a illegitimate child. She knew very well he was rejected by some people, mainly Lady Stark. Even if she could understand the fact that Jon was for Catelyn the constant reminder her husband had been unfaithful to her, Lady Stark's behavior towards Jon often infuriated her. She appreciated the young man very much. He was a part of their big family, after all.

They stayed at the rock for some time, not always speaking, and Raelyn's mind was as busy as a hive. When the wind got colder, they walked back to the castle and Jon left her to go to bed. She felt weary and very tired, desiring her bed most of all. When she closed the door of her chambers behind her, she noted with delight that a small fire was burning in the fireplace. She threw in another log of wood and jumped in her bed, wrapping her body in the soft sheets and furs, and fell asleep almost instantly. _Tomorrow will be kinder. _

It seemed like she had slept for half a minute when she was pulled out of sleep by a few knocks on her door. She was surprised it had woken her up, since she usually slept like a log. Groaning, she stood up slowly, wrapping a fur around her shoulders to avoid the bitter cold of the night. She walked to the door, holding back at yawn.

"Who is it ?" she asked, a hand of the door handle. A low, familiar voice answered.

"It's me."

Still sleepy, Raelyn frowned. What was Robb doing at her door in the middle of the night ? But the events of the day quickly traveled back to her mind and she sighed. Robb was never a heavy sleeper, and she could only guess that like Jon had told her, he had been thinking too much about what had happened. It was not the first time he came to her late at night, like the dark skies brought him answers he couldn't find in daylight.

She opened the door and peeked outside. Even if she coulnd't see him well, she recognized his auburn curls.

"We need to talk," he whispered, coming closer. The soft moonlight lighted up his face.

"It's late," she replied, her voice raw with sleep.

"I'm sorry I woke you up." He bit his lower lip.

"I need to talk to you. I can't sleep."

His voice was calm, but his eyes shone with worry. She knew Robb, she knew he was telling the truth. If he didn't need to speak with her, he wouldn't have come. She hesitated still, not in the mood for a serious conversation. But it was Robb, so she opened the door to let him in. She walked back to her bed and sat on it as he silently closed the door behind him. He was dressed in simple black breeches and grey tunic despite the cold, and she wrapped the fur tighter around her shoulders to stop shivering. She looked up at him, loosed strands of hair from her braid falling on her face.

"What is it ?" she asked quietly.

Raelyn didn't want Robb to know she had been worried all day, running around to try and change her mind. _What if he comes to tell me he doesn't want me around anymore ? _The thought made her sick and she chased it away quickly.

"I wanted to apologize," he stated, standing straight in front of her. "I acted like a child. I shouldn't have run off like I did."

"You shouldn't have broken Theon's nose." He looked back at her, his blue eyes wide.

"I know. I lost control. But I saw you on the ground, and I thought you were hurt, and..." He sighed deeply. "You know what I think about Theon's attitude towards you, Rae. But it was foolish of me to act like I did."

"Why did you run away from me ?" He glared at her.

"I couldn't look at you, I was ashamed. I was... I thought you were mad at me."

She looked at him and held back a smile. _We were both fools. _She stood up and faced him, taking one of his hands.

"I wasn't mad at you, Robb. I was - I was shocked. And a bit angry at first, I can't deny it, but not for long. And somewhere deep inside me, I was glad you did it." He glanced at her, frowning. "It was sweet of you."

A smile broke his stiff face, and she could feel his relief as his shoulders fell down a bit. He squeezed her hand.

"Can I stay ?"

The question took her aback, but she smiled. They often did it as younger teenagers; Robb would sneak into Raelyn's chambers to talk and talk until they fell asleep. Since she often had nightmares, it made her feel safe, and him less lonely. It had been years since they did it, though, and even Robb looked surprised by own request. He blushed.

"I'm sorry."

"No. Please, stay. It will be good to have company. And you look cold."

She took off her hand from his and pulled herself into the sheets, her eyes burning with fatigue. She felt Robb's body beside her, like a shield, and she fell asleep with a smile.


	5. chapter IV

Hello !  
Here's the new chapter, which is a little bit longer than the others.  
Hope you enjoy! :)  
Thank you for the alerts & favorites, please review !  
Marianne x

* * *

**CHAPTER IV  
**_Raelyn  
_

* * *

She was facing Theon. Blood was running down his face. His eyes shot daggers at her. He was yelling nonsense, and suddenly, he stopped. The world stopped moving and he bent down. His lips crashed on hers, his hands bringing her hips closer so her body hit his. She felt his blood dripping on her face, sliding to fall on their lips, joined in a violent kiss. And then, Raelyn woke up. Her hand immediately flew to her mouth as she still felt Theon's embrace. She felt dizzy and horribly confused. _What was that about ? _Shocked, she turned to find Robb lying next to her, deep asleep. He looked peaceful, his curls messy on his head and his mouth slightly opened. His arm rested close to hers. She could only smile, and had to hold back the desire to slide her fingers through his hair and lay back against him once again.

She felt weird, about the dream and about Robb's presence. Wouldn't it make more sense if she had dreamt about Robb kissing her ? And she never thought of Theon that way. _I hope I don't see him today. _She'd blush and she was sure he would guess something was odd. Sighing, she stood up slowly, making sure she wouldn't wake Robb. Only a soft light came through the curtains, so she guessed it was still very early in the morning. She got dressed as quickly as possible, leaving her long hair loose on her shoulders, and with a last glance at the young man who had not even stirred, she opened the door and left the room. The hallway was cold and she shivered, closing the door quietly. She rested her forehead against the wood. _If someone discovers Robb in my room... _Fortunately servants never came to her chambers, except when she needed them. Raelyn only hoped nobody would have the idea of coming to clean her bedsheets.

She turned on her heels and she let out a small cry of surprise when she saw the man standing in front of her.

"Theon !" she shrieked, her heart pounding in her chest.

"Why are you acting so secretive ?"

She glared at him. His nose was covered by a white bandage, and she was glad the blood was gone.

"I don't know what you're talking about. What are you doing here ?" He shrugged.

"I was just passing and I saw you coming out of your room like a spy." She rolled her eyes.

"It's early. I didn't want to wake up all the castle by slamming my door like you do, Greyjoy."

She started to walk towards the hall, hoping Theon would follow her. Unfortunately, he stopped her by catching her arm.

"Greyjoy ? What is that about, _Cassel_ ?" She stared at him.

"What do you want, Theon ?!" She was starting to grow impatient.

"Why are you so cranky ? Didn't sleep well last night ? Had bad dreams ?"

She blinked. _How could he know ?_ He couldn't know. She shook her head.

"What did you dream about ?"

She felt out of breath, her throat swollen. She couldn't bring herself to say a word. He took a step forward, frowning at her. Then, a smile broke his lips.

"I bet it was a good dream." She shrugged off his hand and glared at him.

"Leave me alone." She turned on her heels, and Theon did not follow her. Raelyn felt dizzy, and only hoped a good breakfast would calm her nerves.

It was bitter cold in Winterfell, the kind of cold that made you want to wrap yourself in blankets and sit in front of a fire all day. She broke her fast with Arya and Rickon, wondering if Robb had woken up to find the bed empty. _What will he say ? _But he did not appear and the children asked Raelyn if she wanted to play with them. She agreed, convinced the games would keep her mind busy and far from all the questions the previous night had brought. It was almost midday when Arya and Rickon were called to their lessons so Raelyn could breathe down. She loved spending time with them, but they always left her tired after running around for hours.

Raelyn made her way to the library and sat down on one of the comfortable armchairs, picking up her favorite book. She started to read and lost track of time.

"There you are !" The voice made her jump.

She looked up to find Robb grinning at her.

"I looked for you everywhere." She smiled playfully at him.

"I was hiding so you wouldn't find me." He chuckled and sat in front of her.

"When I woke up, you were gone." She blushed and closed her book, knowing she would never be able to read with Robb around.

"I didn't want to you see my morning face."

"Oh, is it as horrible as your everyday face ?"

An outraged yell escaped her lips and she punched him on the shoulder. His laugh echoed in the silent library, and Raelyn was glad they were alone.

"I didn't want to wake you up. Your dreams looked like fun, you were almost drooling on my pillow."

They laughed in unison, but Robb's face made Raelyn frown. _Did he just blushed ? _She had to hold back a nervous chuckle, thinking that maybe Robb had a similar dream as her. He quickly changed the subject, asking if she wanted to go riding. She agreed and went to change into her more comfortable, warmer clothes.

* * *

"Where are you taking me, Robb ?" she asked, for what seemed like the millionth time. He smiled.

"You'll see. We're close."

They had been riding for more than an hour, but not in the direction they usually went. They were deep in the woods, so deep Raelyn was afraid they might get lost. But Robb seemed confident and led the way looking straight in front of him. It was incredibly cold, and Raelyn was glad she wore warm gloves because her fingers had started to go numb. Fortunately, there was no wind. Robb rode quietly beside her, a smile on his lips. She liked how his eyes shone brightly against the soft sunlight, how bright his auburn hair looked, and how he sometimes glanced at her mischievously.

They arrived at a wide meadow where stood a hill so high she couldn't see the other side. The trees surrounded the pale grass. Robb stopped before dismounting his horse. She did the same, stroking her horse's mane.

"That's what you wanted to show me ? A hill ?" He shook his head.

"Come."

He was so mysterious that Raelyn's curiosity got the best of her. She took the hand he presented her and guided her up the hill. Her legs burned with the riding and the climb made it worse, but once they got at the top, she gasped and forgot the pain. The view was breathtaking. They could see the forest so far away she could guess the end of it, and the entire city of Winterfell, and the northern snow far up ahead. The pale green grass mixed with the naked trees and the dirt and the blue sky and the dim sun made it the most beautiful landscape Raelyn had ever seen. She realized she was smiling when Robb took her hand.

"Told you it was worth it." She glanced at him quickly, not wanting to look away from the scenery.

"How did you find this place ?" He shrugged slightly.

"I was just wondering around with Jon, and we found it. Thought you would like it."

"I love it. Thank you."

"You're very welcome."

She laughed and they sat on the cold ground, wrapping themselves into their cloaks. They stayed there for what seemed like forever, just admiring the view.

"You know what I dreamt about ?" he said, breaking the comfortable silence. She turned to look at him.

"I dreamt of you." She couldn't help but smile a little bit as she admired his reddened cheeks.

"What was I doing ?" He glanced at the sky and sighed.

"Not much. We were riding, a day like this, and -" He stopped, his eyes suddenly wide with fear. Raelyn frowned.

"Robb ?" He immediately shushed her and slowly pointed the edge of the forest, a few meters ahead of them. She paralyzed, and she heard it.

_A growl_. So low, so raw, so beastly, it sent shivers down her spine and fear rose in her throat, a silent scream leaving her lips.

The small pack of wolves stared at them, their sharp teeth out, threatening them. One, two, three, four, she counted. Four wolves against the two of them. She was not armed, and even though Robb had his sword, they did not stand a chance. Raelyn knew how fast and vile the beasts were. She had heard a thousand tales on wolves tearing the men's throat apart with just a single stroke on their paws.

Her grip on Robb's hand tightened, her legs shaking.

"What do we do ?" she whispered.

"We can't stay here," he stated, his voice trembling.

_He's as afraid as I am. _They were too far away from Winterfell. She could scream, she could shout as loud as she could, nobody would hear her. They were alone. The wolves did not move. They were waiting.

"When I squeeze your hand, run to your horse and leave. Don't wait for me."

His voice was irrevocable. She nodded. He looked at her, just for a second. His bright blue eyes, wide with worry and fear, were like daggers.

"Be brave," he said, and she nodded again, unable to say a word.

Robb's hand squeezed hers, and she flew. She didn't feel her legs as she ran to her horse who shrieked and drew back in fear. A brown wolf had made it's way between her and her only escape. He was smaller than the others, fortunately for her. _A pup. _She could hear Robb's battling with the others behind her. The wolf's eyes were black, and he growled at her, spit sliding down his teeth to the grass. She felt sick, hearing Robb's groans. She couldn't die like this. Robb couldn't die like this. So she did the only thing she could do : run.

She went straight for the woods. She knew it wasn't a good idea, that the wolf would be more comfortable than her running in the dirt, but her mind went blank. She thanked the gods to have given her strong and fast legs as she felt the wolf's breath behind her. She swiftly made a turn to run back to the hill, hoping she would catch her horse before the wolf would catch up with her. For a second, she believed it, she saw it, she would make it, just a step or two and she could jump on her horse and -

She let out a terrified scream as she stumbled on a root. She straightened her arm in front of her to protect her face but when she hit the ground, her shoulder made a sickening, cracking sound. The pain overwhelmed her but she didn't have time to scream. The wolf was on her in a second. A sharp pain on her back made her scream again in pain. It was like a million daggers had pierced her simultaneously. She quickly turned on her back to fight back the wolf, holding his mouth as far away from her face as she could. His claws pushed into her skin as she fought and kicked and punched and yelled. Her whole body burned and she knew that if she stopped death would come and no, she would not let it come.

Finally, with the strength of despair, she was able to kick back the wolf far enough so she could take his mouth in her hands, one holding the upper jaw and the other the lower. The teeth pierced the fragile skin of her palms, but she didn't care. Then she pushed. She twisted and pulled with as much strength as she could, screaming as her arm burned like wildfire, and the wolf wailed and she heard a cracking sound and she felt blood run down her fingers and the beast slumped on the cold ground.

Raelyn breathed out. _Is it dead ? _She could only see the blood, on the dark fur of the wolf and on her hand, and the sickening, overwhelming pain in her shoulder. _Robb. _She ran towards the hill, her heart pounding so hard she felt it in her head. Her eyes looked for the young man. She was one, two, three wolf carcasses. _He killed them all. _And then she was him, lying on his side in the pale grass. Her heart stopped at the sight of the blood on his face.

"Robb !" she cried out, rushing up to him.

She kneeled out, taking him by the shoulders to roll him on his back, tears burning her eyes and rolling down her cheeks. His eyes were half-shut and he stuttered at her touch. Her relief was short, though, when she was the wound on his neck. The wolves had somehow ripped apart his clothes and found their way to his skin, scratching deeply from the base of his neck to his arm. It was a bloody mess. She clenched her jaw to keep from screaming.

"Robb, stay awake. I need you to stay with me."

His eyes were fogged and she felt a sob rise in her throat. There was a few scratches on his face, but they fortunately did not seem deep. She checked his chest and his legs. There were a a few small holes in his breeches, as if a claw had pierced through it. Raelyn looked down at her own clothes and realized she had the same wounds. Holding back her tears, she shook her head and started to rip a piece of her cloak. _I need to stop the bleeding. _If she didn't act, Robb would bleed out before they got to Winterfell. Trying to chase away the thought of the long way home, she carefully wrapped the injury with the tissue, ignoring Robb's groans and cries of pain. When she was done, she gently stroked his cheek in spite of the sweat and the blood.

"Robb, I need you to get on your horse. I can't carry you."

He nodded and she got up, taking his arm with both hands, trying to chase away her own pain. When he pushed himself up, pulling on her arms, she couldn't hold back her scream. When he was standing, she shakily steadied him.

"You're hurt," he said in a breath. One of his hand slid down her face, and when he drew it back, it was red. _I'm bleeding too. _

"I'm all right. Come on."

They slowly walked to their horses. The only things breaking the silence were Robb's whimpers and Raelyn's breath. He was heavy on her shoulders, but she ignored it all. _I need to get to Winterfell before dawn. _She could feel the wind growing colder and the sun fading behind the grey clouds. She couldn't ride in the dark. She barely knew the way home. She helped Robb get on his horse, and once he was correctly settled, he collapsed.

She felt the panic travel down her spine, swiftly jumped on her horse, took both reins with her still usable arm and laid down the other with a shriek of pain. Her heart pounding into her chest, she whispered to the horses to find the way home, hoping they would understand.

She rode as fast as she could, but it took a long time before she reached Winterfell. _Way too long. _Robb had not woken, her legs and fingers were numb. The cold had made it's way though her clothes and into her bones. The pain in her shoulder went worse with every step.

She felt the exhaustion take over her body. She was tired, tired of being in pain and tired of worrying. So when she finally saw the castle through the evening fog, she collapsed.


	6. chapter V

Hello ! Here's a new chapter to cope with the lack of Game of Thrones this evening - sigh -  
I hope you like it, it's a different kind of chapter... before it's Theon POV!  
There will be some, there and there in the course of the story. They are my favorites to write.  
I deeply care about Theon so I want him to be as true to himself as possible. Please leave me comments/suggestions.  
I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I loved reading it.  
I'm sorry if I don't update much, but I work a lot and I spend more time writing the story - I'm on chapter 13 so you can't get rid of me! heheh  
Anyway, enjoy it, and thank you so much for the alerts! Don't forget to REVIEW :)  
Marianne xx

* * *

**CHAPTER** V  
_Theon_

* * *

The arrow flew with a _thump _and Theon grinned. A perfect shot, once again. He had always loved archery. Even though it was sometimes considered a woman's sport, Theon thought it was the wisest way to kill. It was quiet, subtle, and effective.

He shot a look at Bran who was, a few meters away, sitting with Maester Ludwin, learning his daily lesson. The young boy was reciting the whole story of the Sacking of King's Landing, it seemed. Theon nearly sighed. _What a boring way to spend your time._ He was never good at learning history.

"And that's how King Robert became King Robert," the boy finished in a hurry. "Can I go shoot some arrows, now ?"

Theon glanced at the Maester, who truly seemed annoyed and weary of Bran's lack of interest.

"Go ahead, boy." The old man shot Theon a look, who didn't hold back his smile.

Bran jumped to his feet and eagerly joined Theon.

"Can I ?" His eyes almost begged him. _I'll never beg for anything. _

"Sure." He gave the young boy his bow and an arrow and let him go.

Bran had been learning archery with Jon and Robb for some time, but he still struggled with the bow. _He needs practice. Proper practice. _The arrow hit the very edge of the target and Theon opened his mouth to advise him when a loud, horrified scream rose in the courtyard.

He sharply turned to see what the fuss was about. A servant pointed two horses who had just entered through the doors with a shaking hand. Two soldiers were leading them, their faces twisted with panic. And Theon saw why.

The riders were laying on the beasts. He could see the blood on their faces and clothes. One he recognized immediately. _Raelyn. _Her dress was torn apart, her back drenched with red and one of her arms was lying lifelessly at her side. Her messy hair covered her face, but he saw that she was struggling to stay conscious. Her other hand clenched to the reins with despair.

The other rider could only be Robb. Theon ran to them, and he saw his wound, barely covered with black tissue.

"Bring him inside," he commanded to the soldiers. "And be careful, some of his bones might be broken." They nodded and he turned to Raelyn, who looked at him through foggy, teary eyes.

"Rae, can you move ?" he asked quietly.

She opened her mouth slightly before she nodded. He gently took her hand so she would let of the reins. With a cry, she straightened up on her horse and Theon could read the pain on her face. She struggled to rise her leg and slipped. She tried to keep from falling with her right arm but failed as it broke and she screamed in pain. Theon swiftly caught her by the hips and slid her down the horse. She buried himself in his arms, her cheeks wet with tears.

"Easy. You're all right, now." She looked like a small, fragile thing, her hair plastered on her face with blood.

"Take the horses to the stables and wash them," he asked the stable boy, who nodded frenetically, not taking his stare away from Raelyn. Theon tightened his grip around her and made his way inside.

She was unconscious when he entered the castle. Servants rushed to him and tore her away from his arms. Theon felt confused, and dizzy. _What in all the gods happened ? _Questions and theories clouded his mind as he stood in the middle of the hall.

The sight of Robb and Raelyn on their horses, like bloody puppets, had cut deep into his chest. He realized how terrified he had been. _They were dead. The bodies were corpses. _He chased away the thoughts. His best friend, and Raelyn, sweet Raelyn, dead ? The idea burned like hot iron through his body. Then, shaking his head, he ran.

Maester Ludwin took care of Robb first. His wrist and two ribs were broken, and some kind of claw had scratched him deeply from neck to shoulder. No one said a word as the old man and a few servants cared to his wounds. Lord Stark was standing next to his son, his brow frowned his worry. Lady Catelyn sat beside the bed, holding one of Robb's hand, her cheeks wet with tears. _Like Raelyn's._ Theon knew Sansa, Arya, Bran and Rickon were waiting outside. The wound was serious, but the Maester had assured them it would heal. It had cut deep, but hadn't hurt any muscles, nerves or bones.

"What did you see, Theon ?" asked Lord Stark, breaking the heavy silence. Theon shrugged.

"Not much, m'lord. I was outside, shooting some arrows with Bran when I heard a scream. Then I saw their horses and ran to them. Robb was already unconscious," he stated in a quiet voice.

"And Raelyn ?"

"She was barely awake. She was able to slide down her horse. When we got the castle, she - she had fallen asleep."

The memory made him shiver. _She was so weak. _Then, the Maester stood up, rubbing his hands.

"He will need rest, for sure, m'lord. But he will heal." Lady Catelyn sighed with relief, clenching her son's hand. _He'll be fine. Raelyn probably will, too._

"What kind of monster would do this ?" the lady whispered, her auburn hair falling on her face.

Theon quietly observed Robb. He looked peaceful and strong in his sleep. _Like a knight. _

"There is only one explanation, m'lady," said Maester Ludwin with a sigh.

"Wolves," agreed Lord Stark.

"Do you know where they went riding, Theon ?" The young man shook his head.

"No, m'lord." Lord Stark passed a hand on his face, suddenly looking weary.

"Send men to search the woods. If they killed some of these wolves, we can't leave their bodies lying around."

Theon nodded and asked the soldier outside the room to take care of the task himself. _I need to see Raelyn._

He followed Maester Ludwin to the room where she had been taken. They found her father there, his face twisted with worry.

"There you are," he sighed. "Please, see to her and tell me she will be all right."

The old man did not waste time. Raelyn had a deep scratch on her cheek, that made its way from her ear to her eyebrow. The blood had dried on her face. Her skin seemed paler than usual compared to the dark red. _She is still beautiful. _Her shoulder was dislocated.

"I have to put it back in place quickly. The pain will probably wake her up, so be ready."

Theon had not time to prepare himself when he heard the sickening sound of the bones clashing. A scream escaped Raelyn's lips as she brutally opened her eyes and straightened in the bed. Her father held her, stroking her face as her scream faded to sobs. Maester Ludwin did not waste time and turned her on her side to inspect her back wound.

"Robb... Robb needs help... He's hurt... The wolves...Where are the wolves... I need to..."

Raelyn rambled, her eyes wide in fear, her whole body shaking. Theon couldn't look away, but did not dare come closer. Her father whispered to her slowly, and she soon she blacked out again. He met Jory Cassel's eyes. They were filled with fear, and anger, and worry. Once Maester Ludwin said she would need time to heal but would be fine, Theon promptly left the room.

_Wolves. _Robb and Raelyn had surely ventured too deep into the woods to encounter wolves. Theon was annoyed. Why had Robb brought her to such a dangerous place ? _Fool. _

The Stark children were all waiting the main hall, and rushed to him when he came in sight.

"Theon, what happened ? They won't let us see them," said Jon, frowning.

They all looked sick with worry. Even Sansa was holding Rickon's hand, which was a rare thing.

"They say Robb's dead," said Arya in a dark voice.

"Arya !" shouted Sansa. "Don't say such things ! It can't be true." She glared at Theon, her eyes almost begging.

"They will both need rest and time to heal, but they will live, don't worry."

Theon saw the relief on their faces and their smiles grow. _A true family. _The thought made his stomach twist. Only Jon was still frowning.

"But what happened to them ? Did they got attacked ?"

"We can't know for sure until one of them wakes up. But the most logical explanation is -" He got cut off by Bran.

"Wolves." Theon nodded. _Winter is coming indeed. _

That night, Theon could not bring himself to sleep. He couldn't stop thinking about Raelyn. He thought about how soft her hair had felt, tangled in his fingers. He thought about the blood painting the porcelain of her skin. He thought about how angry he was at her for getting herself hurt. A sigh escaped his lips. Raelyn always seemed to occupy his mind these days, for good and bad reasons. He felt good when they talked, even about the silliest things, even when they argued, because he liked the fact that he could be all she thought about even for a few minutes. That for the time of a fight, she wouldn't be thinking about Robb. She would be thinking about him. Theon hands clenched his fists. How he hated himself for getting so attached to the girl. Raelyn had slowly, over the course of time, pierced through the iron of his blood and broke his heart.

_We do not sow. _He could take what was his. But Raelyn was never his. She was Robb's - he had seen it -, and always had been. He had realized it a long time ago, and it recently haunted him, but it didn't stop him from getting as much of her as he could. And he cherished those small pieces, collected there and there. Love was for children. He was of salt and iron.

Still the events of the day made his stomach twist. So he left his chambers and walked to Raelyn's. He doubted her father would be watching over her, but if he was, he would simply offer to take his place. But the young girl was alone in the cold room. Theon sat on the chair next to the bed and observed her. She was laying on her bed, her face covered in a thin layer of sweat. She breathed quickly, like she was running. _She's dreaming. _

He let her sleep, admiring the dim shade of the moonlight on her skin. She looked like a ghost. The servants had cleaned the blood so he could see very well the thin scratch on her face. Somehow, it made her look stronger. Theon jumped when she suddenly opened her eyes. They were wide with fear.

"Raelyn," he whispered. She stared at him for a second and he could swear she wasn't recognizing him. But then she blinked and shakily breathed out.

"Where's Robb ?" Her voice was raspy but heavy with worry. She tried to sit on the bed but as soon as she moved, a shriek of pain escaped her lips.

"Don't move, Rae."

"I need to see him, he -" She tried to stand again and Theon had to take her by the shoulders to lay her down.

"Hells, Rae, I said don't move !" he snapped. She closed her eyes, breathing in and out quickly, obviously in pain.

"I'll give you more milk of the poppy." She didn't answer so Theon took it as a yes.

He knew Maester Ludwin had left some on the drawer, and when he found the small bottle he brought it to her lips. She drank without a word. It felt weird to take care of her as if she was a child. He had always seen her on edge, ready to fight back. The thought of her weakness made his heart sink in his chest.

"Why is it so cold ?" she said in a broken voice.

Theon quickly got to his feet and pulled the furs on her shivering body. She wrapped herself in them, staring at him. Her eyes were foggy. _The milk of the poppy. _She wouldn't remember this in the morning. So Theon let himself stroke her hair, pulling away the strands that covered her face.

And then she smiled. But she wasn't smiling because she had heard something funny, or because Robb was smiling at her too, no. _She's smiling at me. _Theon felt his heart tighten in his chest. He couldn't recall a time Raelyn had smiled at him. It was a humble thing, but it was sincere.

"Thank you."

"For what ?" he said, trying to sound composed, but his voice was weak.

"For being there." He looked at her in the eyes.

They glistened in the moonlight, of a dark shade of blue, like water. The sea was in Theon's blood, and he suddenly found a little bit of it in Raelyn's eyes. And at that moment, it was as if he wanted to drown in them. But she shut her eyes and turned her head towards the wall. Her breath slowed down and she fell asleep.

Theon stared at her, at the naked temple that he suddenly wanted to kiss. _Could I ? She won't remember it. _He bent down, and put down a soft kiss on her cold skin. He left his cheek rest against hers for an instant before standing up and leaving the room, confused and annoyed.


	7. chapter VI

Hi !  
Here I am, finally, with a new chapter!  
I hope you guys liked the end of season 3, I sure did, even though it was heartbreaking.  
I felt lucky I had read the books...  
Anyway, here's another chapter! It's the longest I've written, and we are catching up with the start of the show.  
Thank you for the alerts, please review !  
Enjoy ! x

* * *

**CHAPTER VI  
**_Raelyn_

* * *

She winced in pain as she mounted her horse. After three weeks, her shoulder had mostly healed, but it was still a sensitive area, especially when she did things like riding. She had forced herself to get comfortable on her horse again and not let herself develop a fear of it. Of course, the first time had been hard. She remembered Robb's blood on her hands and the insurmountable pain that she had felt. But her father had helped her through it, and she was fine with it now. She had to be careful with her shoulder, but her wounds had healed, physically and mentally. Only a thin scar on her face remembered her everyday of what she had lived with Robb. The young man had surprisingly took less time to heal. Of course, he would wear the scars on his neck all his life, but his ankle and ribs were as good as new.

It had been a rough three weeks. She did not recall the first few days as she had been drinking milk of the poppy every hour. After a while she recovered enough to eat and sleep normally, and Maester Ludwin insisted for her to exercise her arm so it wouldn't become numb. It had been painful, but her father, her cousin Beth and Theon had been at her side to help.

She had not seen Robb much, except for the few times they let them visit each other. They had not spoke much of the attack, wanting the chase away the horrifying memory. But Raelyn knew very well the time had to come, they just weren't ready for it. Of course, Lord Stark had asked them to tell the story, and since then, Arya had been calling her «Wolfbreaker». The nickname made Raelyn shiver but it was sweet coming from the brown-haired girl.

As she rode silently beside her father in the cold, dim morning light, she noticed the worried glances he shot at her. Of course, Jory had been troubled by the recent events and seemed to take a closer eye at his daughter. She doubted he would let her go riding alone any time soon, even less if it was with Robb. She had tried to explain to him that it wasn't Robb's fault, but Jory wouldn't have it. «You won't venture off like that again, I won't let you» he had said. She knew he would be true to his word.

Still, a part of her was glad her father took care of her like that. With his duties, she usually rarely got to spend quality time with him. These days he was always making an effort, most of the time taking her with him at his early patrols around Winterfell.

"How's your shoulder ?" he asked.

"Better. I barely feel anything."

It wasn't completely true since she felt a sharp pinch everytime the horse made a step. It wasn't painful, just uncomfortable. Jory slowly nodded.

"I'm far better, Father. Don't worry." He shot her a look.

"You know I can't do that." She sighed.

"Well, try. Didn't you kill all the wolves in that forest?"

"There will be more. Winter is coming."

She frowned at him. Her father rarely said the Stark words, but as he did, she felt a shiver travel down her spine. It seemed to make it more real. She looked far ahead, gazing at the pale green mountains and the grey sky. It was a foggy morning, and as they went up a small hill, they could barely see in front of them.

She frowned as she noticed a dark spot a few meters ahead of them.

"Father," she said quietly, but he was already looking at it. The silhouette became clearer. It was a man, all dressed in black. Jory sighed.

"Isn't that the black of the Night's Watch ?" she asked, and her father nodded, his face dark.

"It is. And if he's running so far from Castle Black, he must be a deserter."

Raelyn stared at her father. She knew what fate waited the deserters. _Beheading. _She shivered.

"I won't stop him alone, he might fight. Go back to Winterfell, inform the other guards and stay there. I'll watch him closely. I don't think he noticed us." She nodded and turned her horse on his heels, quickly riding back to the castle.

She first found her uncle Rodrick who quickly informed his men before running to the castle. She looked at the small pack of guards leaving on their horses. As much as she wanted to follow them, she knew it was best to obey her father. She unsaddled her horse and guided him to the stables, where she asked the boy if he could take care of his toilet.

Her shoulder felt heavy as she walked back to the castle. She found Robb, Jon, Bran and Rickon in the courtyard practicing archery. Lifting her eyes, she saw her uncle talk to Lord and Lady Stark. Theon stood beside him. The young man, as much as he had been there while she was recovering, had pretty much ignored her since she had been up on her feet again. Sighing, she walked to Robb.

"What is it ?" he asked with a frown, probably reading the trouble on her face.

"We found a deserter. From the Night's Watch."

Robb's face hardened. He too knew what that meant. He opened his mouth but was cut off by Lord Stark.

"Robb, gather your brothers, except Rickon, we have to -"

"I know. You want Bran to come ?"

His voice was low, but not begging. Raelyn knew, even though it shocked her, that all the boys needed to assist their father in duties like this. _But Bran is so young. _His father probably thought it was the right time. She left father and son and walked to Rickon who stared at the group with wide eyes. _The same color as his brother._

"Why can't I go ?" he asked, his mouth sulking.

"What your father has to do is not for children, Rickon," she replied softly at the young boy.

"But Bran is going."

"You will go one day. Soon, maybe. It's up to your father." She smiled at him.

"Want to play hide and seek ?" The small boy broke into a smile and nodded frenetically.

She took Rickon's hand and glanced at the castle doors. The group was already ready to leave. She met Robb's eyes. He smiled at her. _How handsome is he. _Her fondness of Robb had only grown since the wolf attack. She now felt attached to him, with an unbreakable link. Sharing something so horrible could have teared them apart, but it only brought them closer. _I owe him my life. _She smiled back, hoping he would know how to be careful. But he was far from alone, and she trusted the men he was with.

Rickon started to pull on her hand and she turned to him.

"Raelyn, can I touch your scar ?" The question took her by surprise.

"Why do you want to touch it ?" She wasn't ashamed of it, not really, but it still felt weird everytime she saw it or when somebody reminded her of it.

"Robb said I could." Raelyn couldn't hold back her laughter.

"He told you that ?" Rickon nodded with a wide smile.

"Well if Robb says it, you can." She kneeled to be at his height and he lifted his hand to touch her face. His touch was so light she barely felt it.

"It feels funny," he stated seriously. "But you're still pretty." She smiled at him and ruffled his hair.

"You're prettier than me."

Then she sent him off to hide somewhere and he quickly ran away.

"Don't leave the courtyard, Rickon !" she yelled, rolling her eyes at the child's eagerness. As she looked for the little boy, Raelyn saw Lady Catelyn approach.

She had never been very close to Lord Stark's wife, but she knew her as a kind, just and loving woman. She loved her children more than anything. But her resentment towards Jon had always made Raelyn uneasy. She understood how the young boy reminded her of her husband's infidelity, but her hatred was exaggerated to Raelyn's eyes. She stared at the Lady's long, auburn hair as she got closer, a kind smile on her lips.

"He's a wild thing, isn't he ?" she said.

Raelyn smiled back at her but couldn't answer as she saw Rickon from the corner of her eye before chasing him down. She took him in her arms as he laughed hysterically.

"He is," she said at Lady Catelyn, who chuckled.

Raelyn put Rickon back on the ground and the boy ran off to hug his mother before taking back his small wooden sword, fighting an imaginary enemy.

"You're like a sister to him," said Lady Catelyn when Raelyn got closer.

She smiled. _He's like my brother too. _She had seen Rickon grow up, and even though she wasn't a Stark, it felt a little like it.

"He'll grow up to be as strong as his brothers," she said, looking at Rickon.

"I just hope he won't be as restless as Robb," chuckled Lady Catelyn before shooting her a significant look. Raelyn smiled awkwardly.

"I remember when you and Robb were children. Always taking off on adventures and taking back to the castle everything you would find. It drove Ser Rodrick and your father crazy !" Raelyn couldn't hold back a laugh. She could imagine it very well.

"Lady Catelyn, I wanted to apologize. For what happened. But I think you should know how brave Robb has been. He didn't think twice before fighting these wolves. I owe him my life." _And so much more._ The lady smiled warmly.

"I know. I'm just glad you're both safe now."

It took a few hours before they heard the sound of the horses approaching.

"It's them, it's them !" shouted Rickon before running back to his mother.

Raelyn stared at the riders before she froze. _Wolves. _Robb was holding one in his arms. It was small, though, so small, but it sent violent shivers through her body. She glanced at Jon, and Bran, and Theon. They all held small pups.

"What are those ?" she asked, keeping a safe distance. Robb smiled.

"Direwolves. Still pups. We found the corpse of their mother. They were on their own."

"And you brought them back ?" said Lady Catelyn in a weary voice.

"We'll take care of them ourselves."

"There was six of them," said Bran, holding a grey one in his hands. "One for each of us."

Lady Catelyn sighed deeply and Raelyn stared at the pup in Robb's hand.

"Don't worry. He's far from dangerous," he said at her quietly. She nodded.

When Arya and Sansa arrived, they gave one to each of them. The youngest girl screamed with excitement and immediately started running around with the small, brown wolf. She named her Nymeria, and Sansa named hers Lady. Rickon had Shaggydog, Jon had Ghost. Only Robb couldn't settle down on a name. It was nice to see the family reunited, laughing together.

Raelyn sat beside Robb on a small bench. He was holding the grey direwolf in his arms, looking thoughtful.

"Are you thinking of a name ?" she asked. He jumped slightly, but smiled.

"I'm trying." The wolf struggled in the young man's arms.

"He's restless, that's for sure. Like you." Robb chuckled and dropped the little beast on the ground, who started chasing the others.

"He's fast," he stated.

"As fast as the wind," she agreed.

"Greywind. That's his name." She smiled at Robb's bright eyes before standing up and leaving the courtyard.

She felt light headed as she thought of the small wolves. _They can't hurt you. _But she could still feel the wolf's jaw breaking and bleeding on her hands, even after three weeks. _It will forever haunt me. _She had been so close to dying. And yet she was still there. The gods let her live, and to Raelyn, there had to be a reason. _Did they sent these pups to help me heal ? _She knew she would grow to love the small beasts, as the Stark children already had. But not now. Not so soon.

She wondered how Robb did it. _He's stronger than me. _Did he already forget, or was it a way for him to chase away the dreading memories from his mind ? She wanted to talk to him, but he was too busy enjoying his new acquisition and she didn't want to disturb him. _I owe him that. _

She stopped near the entrance of the castle when she saw Theon walk in the same direction. Raelyn stared at him for a minute as she remembered the foggy memory she had tried so hard to clarify. _He was there when I first woke up. _She could only recall his presence and the light touch of his hand on her face. She needed to know why it had been him there, and why, for the past two weeks, he had ran away from her.

"Wait," she called out to him, her hair dancing in the cold wind that had suddenly risen.

The young man glanced at her. He gave her a undecipherable look without stopping.

"Theon, wait !" she said again, louder this time.

Still he kept on walking away. Sighing deeply, she ran to him. _Stupid, stubborn git. _She put a strong hand on his shoulder, forcing him to stop and face her.

"What ?" he cried out.

"Stop running away from me !" she replied in the same voice. He shot her a dark look.

"I have stuff to do." She frowned.

"Yeah, like what ? Go to that stupid brothel and f -"

She didn't have the opportunity to finish her sentence as Theon took a step towards her, his eyes dark and menacing.

"Don't you dare," he growled between his teeth. Raelyn blinked. _He is mad at me. _

"Still, that's what you were going to do, am I right ?"

He didn't reply, but Raelyn could read it on his face. She sighed, feeling the urge to change the subject. Theon always reacted oddly when she mentioned Ros. He talked about her all the time with Robb, the Stark had said, but with Raelyn he'd go crazy in a second.

"Why are you ignoring me ?" He chuckled mockingly.

"Ignoring you ? You think the world turns around you, maybe ? I have other things to do than to follow your ass around all day."

"Then why were you were almost always there when I was hurt ?" He didn't reply, only shot her another dark look.

"You act like you don't care, Theon, but I know that deeply, you do. You care about Robb, and you care about the Starks, and you care about..."

She stopped mid-sentence. _You care about me. _She oddly couldn't bring herself to say it. Theon stared at her.

"What ? If you know me so well, what do I care about ?" She clenched her jaw. He scoffed at her.

"You think you're so wise, like you're the princess of this castle, parading around with your long hair and your handsome lord. But let me remind you of something, Raelyn.É

He took a step towards, his face now inches away from her. He towered over her. She had never noticed how tall he was compared to her. His eyes were so deep within her own, she shivered.

"You're not a Stark. You'll never be."

It was barely a whisper, but Raelyn felt the words sink into her chest like a dagger. Seconds later, he was gone, and she felt cold.

She ran back to the castle, tears burning her eyes. She wiped them away brutally and entered her chambers, slamming the door behind her. She shakily sat down on her bed, her whole body shaking with sobs. _He's right. I'm not a Stark. _His words had hurt her deeper than any other. She was no better than a common girl. She would probably be scrubbing the kitchen floors right now if her father wasn't Captain-of-the-Guards. She would never be a Lady. She would never have a castle. She would never - oh, she would never marry Robb. She brought her legs against her, circling them with her arms, settling her head on her knees, trying to control her tears. But they wouldn't stop.

She didn't even look up when she heard her door open with a cracking sound. Two strong arms enveloped her. She buried her face in Robb's neck, his curls tickling her nose. A sob escaped her lips. He didn't even say a word as the tears slid down her cheeks and fell on her dress, only stroked her hair and whispered that it was all right and that he was there. She calmed down after a while, her body still slightly shaking. Robb took her face between his hands and pushed her gently from him so she could sit. He smiled at her, his eyes bright with worry. She could only smile back as he wiped a tear from her cold cheek.

"Do you feel better ?" She nodded, blushing.

_I've lost all control. _She couldn't think of a time where she had shown herself so vulnerable to Robb. Of course, he had seen her cry before, but to the most silliest things when she had been a child. Now she knew and understood what is was to cry in front of someone. _It's trusting them. _

"What happened ?" he frowned. She shook her head.

"Nothing, really..." she whispered.

She didn't want to tell Robb. How could she know how he would react ? He had broken Theon's nose before, what would he do now ? Raelyn did not want to raise war between the boys again.

"Rae. Tell me." He was serious, his eyes staring intensely at her. She looked away. _I can't look at him when I lie. _

"It's just..." She sighed deeply. "I saw the pups, and I... I don't know, I panicked." She smiled weakly at him as his face softened. _I hate to lie to him. He trusts me. _

"They can't hurt you."

"I know. I know that now. I overreacted." Robb took one of her hands and squeezed it.

"It's perfectly normal. What happened... it wasn't easy." She lifted her eyes to meet his.

"Do you ever think about it ? Dream about it ?" He lowered his gaze.

"All the time." Without thinking, her arms flew to hug him. She pulled as much strength as she could.

"You saved me," she whispered in his hair.

"And you saved me," he replied, his arms softly squeezing her waist.

Raelyn smiled before gently pushing him away. He was so close, and she felt his hands on her like wildfire, and all she wanted to do was kiss him. But then it all came back to her. _You're not a Stark. _She blinked and pulled away.

"We should go eat," she said in a weak voice. Robb frowned at her behavior, but said nothing. _He knows it too. _And that hurt the most.

Robb insisted to sit beside her during the meal. His presence seemed to calm her down. Her father had glanced suspiciously at them but had not made a comment. Theon's usual place was empty. Raelyn couldn't help but feel distressed. She tried to chase away her thoughts as Lord Stark rose from his seat, a dark look on his face. His eyes gazed upon the big family and he sighed.

"It is my duty to inform you that Jon Arryn is dead."

Raelyn's eyes immediately traveled to her father. His face had hardened, but he didn't flinch. _He knew._ She knew the name, but she did not know the man. _The Hand of the King. _Robb stared at his father, undecipherable.

"Also, the King is riding for Winterfell, with his family and court."

Sansa let out a cry of joy and turned to her friend Jeyne Poole, her eyes bright with excitement.

"He will be here in two weeks. He is the King, and I expect him to be welcomed as such. Everyone's help will be required to prepare the castle. Thank you, and may the old gods bless us."

When he sat down, the table broke into conversation.

"Why is he coming to Winterfell ?" asked Raelyn, confused.

Her father shrugged at her question, deep in thought. But Robb gave her a dark look.

"He needs a new Hand," he stated in a blank voice.

The words echoed in her head before she lowered her eyes to her plate. _He will ask Lord Stark. He will agree. He will go, and so will my father. _


End file.
